Coke-oven smoke-discharging means



March 31, 1933.. J. BECKER 1,798,517

COKE OVEN SMOKE DISCHARGING MEANS Filed Nov. 30, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l I INV%TOZ.

M Wow A TTORNEYS.

March 31, 1931'. J. BECKER 1,798,517

COKE OVEN SMOKE DISGHARGING MEANS Filed Nov. 30, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVEgZTOfi.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 31, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOSEPH BECKER, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE KOPPERS COM- PANY, PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A

CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA COKE-OVEN SMOKE-DISCHZARGING MEANS Application filed November 30, 1925. Serial No. 72,102.. I

This invention comprehends improvements of general utility in the art of charging coke ovens and similar heat'treating devices and has for its object the provision of efficient means for removing the smoke incidental to the charging of a heated coke oven and during the leveling operation thereby insuring substantially complete discharge of smoke which is generated mainly during these operations, with the result that trapping of smoke within the oven is eliminated.

The present invention involves a further embodiment of the generic principles disclosed in my former Patents 1,376,313 and 1,376,314, both granted April 26, 1921, and 1,410,447, granted March 21, 1922.

In coke ovens of the type here involved the heating chamber is relatively long and narrow and is provided in its top with several charging openings, arranged longitudinally thereof. During the charging operation the fuel which descends through these openings assumes positions of repose which leave pockets at the top of the chamber between the respective fuel openings into which pockets smoke and gases accumulate and tend to blow out through the feed openings, resulting riot only in waste but also in serious annoyance to the operators and vitiating the atmosphere.

Since the charging hoppers during the charging operation are located above the oven chamber being charged and in alignment with the charging openings therein the removal of the smoke from the pockets between said openings and its transfer to the mains at the sides of the' battery in a manner not to interfere with the charglng ap aratus or its operation presents serious di culties and where a circuitous athway about the hoppers is provided for t e smoke and gases the pressure is increased, due to the fraction resulting from the many turns, thus tending to force the smoke and gas out through the feed openings, and the deposit of dust, tarry and other. materials in t e horizontal portions of the ofitakes further increases the pressure. Moreover, the tortuous passageways are very difficult to clean. An essential feature of my invention is the provision of substantially vertical ofitake pipesextending directly from the respective oiftake openings upwardly and between adjacent charging hoppers, hence horizontally across the tops of 1 said hoppers to the gas or smoke mains at the sides of the battery, suitable cleanout ports being arranged at the junctions of the vertical and horizontalportions affording easy access to each portion for cleaning. This construction has the import-ant advantage that it provides an unobstructed space for the operation of the charging apparatus and also affords a direct path for the gases, eliminating the friction and cleaning difiiculties incident to tortuous passageways.

As the further feature of my invention I provide means for independently operating the sleeves employed'to connect the charging hoppers with the respective charging openings and also means for independently operating the sleeves connecting the smoke olftake openings with their respective offtake pipes. This expedient, while mechanically simple, effects a new and highly desirable result in that it permits the removal of a single sleeve and the practically simultaneous replacement ofthe corresponding lid over the opening, thereby preventing the escape of smoke and gas or the influx of air. Where a plurality of these sleeves are operated simultaneously it is impossible for one operator to replace the lids over the respective openings before there has been a very substantial escape of the smoke and gases, or in some cases, the admission of air into the chamber. My improved :feature is of particular importance Where the smoke is not conveyed to the stack and discarded-as in some systems, but is drawn off into the gas mains and saved for further treatment, for in the latter case the escape of the smoke results in unnecessary Waste and the admission of air is detrimental to the by-products.

However, my improvements are equally applicable to systems wherein the smoke is taken to a stack or released to the air or lead toa separate treating plant or connected into the gas system.

As a further important feature of my invention the smoke and gas offtakes may be made to communicate simultaneously with smoke and gas mains at opposite-sides of the battery, rather than with one main at a time, thereby distributively relieving the enormous pressure of the smoke and gases generated' on charging which would otherwise tend to blow. out through the several feed openings and through the doorway.

As a further feature of my invention I provide improved means for so connecting the smoke and gas offtakes to the stationary oii'takes at the respective ends of the chamber that during the operation of connecting the former to the latter the escape of gas from the collecting main is prevented while at all times permitting the uninterrupted flowof gas from the chamber through the stationary oiftakes to the gas mains.

In addition to the general features and objects of the invention aboverecited, the inventionhes such'other improvements or advantages in construction and operation as are found to obtain in the structure and devices hereinafter described or claimed.

In the accompantylng drawings, forming apart of this speci cation, and showing for purposes of exemplific'ation a preferred form and manner in which the invention may be embodied and practiced, but withoutlimiting the claimed invention specifically to such other illustrative instance or instances:

Figure 1 is a vertical section transverse of the battery through an oven chamber showing the charging apparatus in end elevation,-

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a section of battery showing the charging apparatus in operative position thereabove, and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section longitudinally of the battery showing the charging hopper and the controls therefor in end elevation.

The same characters of reference indicate the same parts in each of the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to Figure 1=there is shown a coking chamber 11 provided with "a set of charging openings 12 and with a set of smoke outlet openings 13 said openings extendin through the top 14 of the oven chamber, sai openings being normally closed by the usual lids which are removed durin the charging operation. At the respective sides of the battery there are provided collecting mains 15, the latter communicating with ascension pipes 16 which extend upwardly from the gas outlets 17 formed in the ends of the top 14 of the respective chambers. The gases evolved from the coking in each oven orchamber pass upwardly through the ascension pipes and thence into the collectingmains 15 through" which. they pass to' the by-product rec'overy.

apparatus. a w

The charging of individual coking chambers or ovens of the battery is effected by means of a larry 'car adapted to run on tracks extending lengthwise the top of the battery ,tical portions 31 are whereby the larry car may be moved into charging position with respect to any of the chambers or ovens to be charged. The larry car consists of a suitable supporting frame work 18 and the several instrumentalities mounted thereon, the whole bein supported upon wheels 18' journaled in suita le bearings supported by the frame. The larry car in the be projected into registry with an appropriate charging opening 12. \Vhenever the slide 20 is moved from closed position the charge within the charging hopper 1 is emptied through a chute 21 into a coking chamber 11. In order that the hoppers 19 oi the larry car may be opened severally, an individual control is provided for the several slides 20 of the respective hoppers. This individual control includes an operating lever 23 for each slide 20 and independently operable connections 24 between the several operating levers 23 and their corresponding slides 20. These levers may obviously be grouped within the cab 25 in which the attendant in control of the car stands. In this cab may also be mounted controlling levers 26 for the individual control of extensible sleeves 22 to which they are respectively connected by. individual sets of connections 27 whereby the sleeves may be individually elevated or lowered.

Mounted upon the larry car and extending above each smoke ofltake 13 when the car is in charging position is a vertical smoke ofitake pipe 31 bent at its top into a substantially orizontal portion 32extending over the top Junctions of the vertical and horizontal porseveral verprovided with encircling extensible sleeves 34 which are adapted to be lowered individually into bridging or smoke conveying position with respect to the corretions. At their lower ends the.

'spondin'g smoke outlets 13 of the coking chamber. For this purpose each sleeve 34 is connected by suitable connectingmechanism 35 to an individualo rating lever 36 preferably located within t e cab 25.

,[The horizontal smoke ofltake portions 32 are provided at their free preferably downturnedends 37 with extensible sleeves 38 alrllapted to make connection with the tops of respective ascension pipes 16 and gas mains 15. To this purpose the ascension pipes are provided at or near their tops'with extensions 39 open at their upper ends to reof the corresponding hopper, said substan .tially horizontal portion in turn being conceive the reduced ends of the sleeves-38 when the latter are lowered. The passageway through each extension is preferably controlled by a hand valve 40 located in the extension 39 so that in no case does the valve restrict the flow of gas front the chamber 11 through the ascension pipe 16 to the main l5 butthe valve inay be closed to prevent escape of the. gas from the ascension pipe 16 when the smoke ofi'take 'pipe 37 is disconnected or in the process of being connected to the extension 39. When connection is completed the valve may be opened to ermit free pas: sage of the smoke through t e smoke oflz'take pipe 37 to the top of the ascension pipe and thence into the main 15. The sleeves 38 on the downwardly extending sections 37 of the smokeand gas ofitake pipes may be simultaneousl operated by a lever 41 in the cab operating through suitable connections '42- 4344 i The extensions 39 may be provided'at their lower ends opposite the tops of the ascension pipes with steam jets 45 for forcing the gases to flow from the oven chamber through the openings 13 and'17 up the ofltake pipes and thence into the mains 15. The ascension pipes may also be provided with cooling water jackets 46 in order that the locality between them may be rendered more comfortable for the operators of the apparatus.

In the operation of the device when it-is desired to charge an oven chamber the larry car is moved to a position in which the chutes 21 of the hoppers 19 are in registry with the charging o nings 12 in the oven top under which con ition the smoke and gas ofitake pipes 31 will also be in alignment with the smoke and gas offtake openings 13 in the oven top. .Thelever 41 maynow be operated to lower the sleeves 38 into registry with the connections or extensions 39 leading from the tops of the stationary ascension pipes connected to the gas mains 15. The lids over the charging openings are then removed, one'ata time, and the levers 26 in the cab operated substantially simultaneously with the removal of the corresponding lids to lower the sleeves 22 to bridge the spaces between the hoppers and said openings respectively. Similarly the lids over the openings 13 are removed, one at a time, and the levers 36 operated substantially slmultaneousl with the removal of the corresponding li s to lower the sleeves 34 over the mouths of the res ctive o enin 13 and the valves 40 are t on opene T e levers 23 are now manipulated to withdraw the slides 20 and ermit the fuel to descend from the hoppers t rough the respective charging openln s 12 andinto the chamber where the fuel wi I assume angles f repose indicated by thedines 47 forming in termediate pockets 48 and end pockets 49 in which the smoke and gases enerated upon the influx of fresh fuel accumu ate but are imsmoke and gas mains 15 while the smoke and gas accumulating in the pockets 49 are similarly" removed through the end ofltake openings 17 and stationary ascension pipes 16 by which they are conveyed to the gas mains 15. As soon as each hopper becomes empty its slide 20 is operated by its respective lever 23 to close the passageway between the hopper and the feed opening to prevent ascension of smoke and gas therethrough. The sleeves 22 being individually operated it becomes possible for the operator to then quickly lift the sleeve of the empty hopperand replace the lid over the corresponding opening, thus preventing .the escape of smoke or gases from or'the entry of air into the chamber. Were these sleeves operated simultaneously, as in prior practice, it would be impossible to close all of the feed openings at once and the low vacuum line created by the jets 45, designed to withdraw the smoke and gas from all portions of the top of the chamber and direct them into gasmains, would become broken resulting in the escape of smoke and gas through the open, feed openings or the entry of air into the chamber.

After the leveling operation has been completed, during which operation the smoke and gas ofitake apparatus continues to function, the valves 40 are closed and each sleeve 34 is individually lifted, one at a time, by the respective levers 36 and the corresponding lid substantially simultaneously placed over the corresponding opening 13, this operation having the same advantages as indicated for the operation of the sleeves 22.

It will be noted that the valves 40 are located out of the paths of the gases rising through the ascension pipes and therefore neverobstruct the flow of these gases therethrough although operating to prevent their escape to the air during the process of conmeeting the gas ofitakes 37 with the tops of said ascension pipes or when the ofi'take pipes 37 are disconnected.

It is obvious that variations in the mode of 1 o crating my device may be practiced within t e spirit'of my invention.

The invention as hereinbefore set forth is embodied in a particular form of construction, but may be variously embodied within the scope of theclaims hereinafter made.

I claim:

1. In a battery of horizontal coking retort ovens, in combination ia series of side-by-side horizontal coking chambers, each having in its top a plurality of charging openings arranged at intervals therealong and independ- -means for collecting gases said charging connections for cooperation with the said alternate smoke outlets, respectively, of each of said chambers; and means for separately connecting each of said smoke duets with said gas collecting-main means.

2. In a battery of horizontal coking retort ovens,'in combination a series of side-by-side coking chambers, each having in its top gas ofltake openings at opposite ends thereof,v

and a plurality of charging openings arranged at intervals along said top between said as oiftakes, and independent smoke out-- lets isposed in alternation with said charging openings; a pair of gas collecting mains; connection means individual to each of the said gas oiftake openings at the ends of said chambers fonrconnecting said gas oiftake openings with said collecting mains; a charging car movable over the top of said battery into position for charging each of said chambers; a plurality of charging devices carried b said car and adapted to cooperate with the charging openings, respectively, of each of said chambers; and a pair of smoke ofitake pipes carried by'said car and adapted to communicate through the said connection means of each of saidchambers with said collecting mains respectively, and with the said smoke outlets, respectively, of each of said chambers independently of each other and of said chargIing openings.

3. n a battery of horizontal coking retort ovens, in combination: a series of side-by-side coking chambers each having in its top gas ofi'take openings at opposite ends thereof, and a plurality of charging openings arranged at intervals along said top between said gas olftakes, and independent smoke outlets disposed in alternation with said charging openings; a pair of gas collecting mains; connection means individual to each of the said gas offtake openings at the ends of said chambers for connecting said gas offtake openings with said collecting mains; a charging car movable over the top of said battery into position for charging each of said chambers; a plurality of charging devices carried by said car and adapted to cooperate with the charging openings, respectively, of each of said chambers; a pair of smoke ofitake pipes carried by said car and adapted to communicate through the said connection means of each of said chambers with said gas collecting mains respectively, and with the said smoke outlets,

of each of said chambers independently of each other and ofsaid charging openings; and means for inducing forced draft in each of the said connection means at opposite ends of each of said chambers for forcing gas and smoke from .within said chambers through said connectionmeans and smoke pipes into said collecting mains.

4. In a coke oven battery, in combination: a series of alternate high and narrow horizontal coking chambers and heating walls therefor arranged side-by-side in a row, each of said coking chambers having in its horizontal top gas ofl'takes atopposite ends thereof and a plurality of at least three ehargin openings intermediate said gas ofltakes, sai chambers being nearly as narrow as the width of said charging openings; a plurality of gascollecting mains; connection means for individuall connecting each of the gas ofitakes at one of t e ends of each of said'ehambers, individually" and independently of ad] acent chambers, with one of said collecting mains; connection means for individually connecting each of the gas ofitakes at the other end of each of said chambers, individually and independently of adjacent chambers, with the other collecting main; and means for inducing forced draft in each of the said connection means at opposite ends of each of said chambers for forcing gases from said chambers, individually and independently of ad- ]acent chambers, into said collectin mains during the charging of each of said 0 ambers through any of its charging openings and irrespectively of the height to which the chamber is filled at the charginlg opening.

In testimony whereof, have hereunto set my hand.

respectively,

JOSEPH BECKER. 

